Luke 1:46-55
In a worship setting, music helps us to focus and can bring
a sense of the holy to the time of worship.
It has been said that “those who sing, pray twice.” No, this
is not a commercial to drum up more members of the choir, although the choir is
always looking for a few new members.
The hymnody of the church is essential, and it helps pass along
theological truths that could be missed in sermons and other educational
opportunities. Just like there are theologians in the church that attend school
for many years honing their craft, there are those that study the science and
theology of the music of the church to helps us understand our faith.
There are many beautiful hymns not only in out hymn books
but in the hymn books of other churches. Some hymns have stood the test of
time, convey solid theological truths, and enhance our understanding. There are
old hymns and new ones. Hymns that have come out of the reformation and hymns
that have come from other lands and cultures. Some of the greatest works of
music have been written around the themes of Christmas and Easter, and there
have also been some pretty bad ones.
A hymn, like a sermon, is only useful if it conveys
theological understanding. Now, there is nothing wrong with being ambiguous;
not long ago, I mentioned that I sometimes craft sermons that leave you with
more questions than answers; however, right this type of sermon is when it
comes to the understanding of fundamental theological truths we cannot be
ambiguous.
In 1984, singer/songwriter Mark Lowery wrote the words that
would eventually become the song that asks the question; Mary, did you know?
Lowery’s words were put to music in 1991 by Buddy Greene and, that same year,
recorded by Michael English. The song would eventually reach the number 6 spot
on the Contemporary Christian Music charts that same year. The song has gone on
to become a modern Christmas classic but, it is has a lack of spiritual depth
and theological understanding.
The Gospel passage we heard this morning is called, in Latin
the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, or the Canticle of Mary. It comes to us from the
Gospel of Luke, the only Gospel that tells the full story of the birth of
Jesus. Mary recites this song when she meets her cousin Elizabeth and the
“babe leaps for joy.” She is so filled with excitement and wonder at
what God has asked her to do that she cannot contain herself. Mary is the new
Eve, and Mary is the one that will usher forth redemption in the life of her
Son, Mary is true, in Greek the Theotokos, the God-bearer.
But we need to back up a little.
Tradition will tell us that Mary was a young, very young
teenager. As the Gospel tells us, she was betrothed or engaged to Joseph, and
they were to be married. One night, the Angel came to Mary and informed her
that God had looked upon her with favor and that she was to give birth to a
child that was going to change the world. Mary asked the Angel a few questions,
but in the end, this teenager, this little girl consented and by her yes, put into
motion a series of events that bring us here today.
As much as we like to cite John 3:16 about God’s love for
all the world is the reason he sent his Son, if it were not for the yes of
Mary, the young, teenage girl it would not have happened. The rift created back
in the Garden of Eden had begun its repair the moment another woman said yes.
Sin had entered the world with the disobedience of a human, and now, salvation
is coming to the world because another human being said yes. This is an
essential message of the Christmas story that is often overlooked. The
separation of man from God was repaired because a young girl said yes!
We often underestimate what young people can do; in fact,
some people will even use the platform of their position to bully young people
when they stand up and take action. I can only imagine the same thing that
happened to Mary. We read that Joseph tried to put her away quietly so as not
to cause a fuss. But the same Angel comes to Joseph and tells him that it will
be okay.
But back to the story and the question of what Mary knew and
did not know.
Mary comes to see her cousin Elizabeth who is also with
child, John the Baptist. She is overjoyed and proclaims her song. Mary says
that her soul “glorifies the Lord” and that her spirit “rejoices
in God” who is her savior. Mary does not take the glory on herself; she
does not boast that God has chosen her in fact; she humbles herself and then
points directly to God as her source of joy and excitement. She knows that God
is using her as an instrument to bring salvation to the world. Sure, God could
have snapped his fingers and made it all so, but he chose the life of a simple
girl from an oppressed race to continue his story of salvation.
We need to stop and think about this for a moment. Of all
the people in the world, of all the women in the world, of all the people in
1st century Palestine, of all the people in the town of Nazareth, God came to
the home of Mary and asked, did not tell her but asked her, to take on this
role. Being chosen by God, out of all the women of her day, Mary would have
every right to boast about what had happened to her, but she does not. She
focuses on the “lowliness of her estate” and that she has been
blessed by God, not because of anything that she has done, and that God has
done this great thing for her.
God did not choose a king or a queen. God did not select a
prince or a princess. God did not want a military leader or a politician. God
did not choose a wealthy family of privilege. No, God chose a poor, humble
girl, and Mary’s response is precisely why God picked her and honored her in
this way.
The simple answer to the question of whether Mary knew is
yes, she did know, and she exclaimed her knowledge and understanding when she
met her cousin Elizabeth. Mary’s song contains a pure faith and pure
understanding of what was going to happen, who God is, and what God’s salvation
was going to bring to the world. But she also understands that it is not about
her. She and Joseph have the task of raising God’s Son and providing him with
an education, but Mary always points towards her Son and never to herself. As
Jesus increased, Mary decreased. She was with him at the start, and she was
with him at the end, but Mary knew, full well, what was going on.
Mary should be an example to all of us about the power of
saying yes, but she should also be an example to all of us about the power of
what one person can do to make a difference in the world. God is asking each of
us who claim the title of Christian, to follow the way of his Son, Jesus
Christ, what will your answer be?
